The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-12-17
A Debt Paying Religion.



At this time our country needs reli-
gion that will make man pay his debts.
Shouting don't settle old notes and ac-
counts with God and man. Cash up. We
want to pounce right on fellow and put
him out of church if he goes to ball, or
theatre, or gets on drunk, but never say
word to the pious scamp who never pays
his debts. Preachers and people who never
pay their debts are doing the Church more
harm than dance and drunkards-therea are
more of them in the Church. Reader, am
l getting close to you? Then lay down
the paper and go and pay up, and then you
can read on with ease
And don't you stop paying because the
statute of limitation" excuses the open
account you made for your bread and
meat: Gods law knows no such statute.
You pay it in cash, or God will make you
pay it in fire and birthstone God knows
no such excuse from paying as "homestead
exemption" You raise that excuse to keep
from paying your debts, and you can stop
singing, "When can read my titles clear
to mansions in the skies" you've got none
up there. You may say II would pay
if l could" How hard have you tried
IF trying, at this moment, could you say:
al have done all in my power?" Have
you tried to save little each week or
month for debts? Areyou spending money
for things to eat and wear that you could
not do without? How much do you spend
per year for cigars and tobacco? Make
your calculation. Put the amount to your
debts. Do you eat dainties and luxuries
Palmer diet would keep you from making
doctors sbills that you won't pay, and bring
up bank accounts. Do yeu strut about
with an umbrella over your head, while
your creditor walks in the broiling sun
Don't you cut shines in hired turnouts
(maybe they are not paid for when you
might walk, and use the money to make
creditors smile. A palmer suit would be
more becoming till you can pay for those
worn out last season. When expenses not
necessary for the feeding and clothing Of
the body are cut off and applied to the
payment of debts, then you will grow in
favor with God, and not till then does God
excuse you. Repentance on this point
must be of that Cody sort that needeth
not to be repented Of Reader, were you
sorry that you had not paid your debts
when you made profession of religion?
If you were not, that is just why you have
not got debt-paying religion. True re-
pentance has a retroactive as well as pros
pective effect on the life of the believer.
He will as far as possible make good his
past wrongs. Many new converts sing,
"Jesus paid it all, all to him 1 owe" No
such thing Jesus did not pay it all;
neither do you owe it all to him. If the
week before you were converted you owed
ten dollars and you were able to pay it, and
you owe that neighbor ten dollars yet, Jesus
did not pay that for you. If you don't pay
that debt he will meet you at your judgment
just as sure as you are sinner, 1t is mean
in you to expect Jesus to pay debts for you
that you can pay yourself If you have
Christian heart in you, think how much
Jesus paid for you that you never could
have met at Gods bar of infexible justice.
Some people think that the cleansing stream
of Jesus's blood washed Sinai away and
deluged the law. No such thing jesus
came not to destroS but to fulfill, and gave
grace that w Iegslod
- -tlsne 1nrOuee n' 5l!I1SS dea.Il34
Jesus everywhere en 1.e '@e' and
menus as 'l I rue o. hle. r.s,
c. az 'ne close OF our greae revival ~ riiI9 70
o'ree1 cnarcn Two year. ago; num IL II ol
young men came " me In, 70 KNOW II they
ouSn' 10 50 ana pay Diiis 'hae 1ney haI
. .laue AZ pai-looLns ior MGiskey' e1c aolu
tne9 70 owe ., tnen no. UNI le. no' yoGI
goou NC eVt az Spoeea VI -slve lne ueen
ms uues. an VI 'nsSe y1uns nen, save ave
que or 'II' WEN anu pau up IN Snose pau
uep ,s anu nave iau no more: muse WHY
' coulu no. sec tla' II was .lleir auty 70 pay
tnose deots, nave returned 70 tnelr ola pains
ana their second state Is worse than the
nrs 81,
Anen ie' .he "noie cnurc. pray lor re-